Overview
- Press Association court-record research published Wednesday found 378 convictions this year for driving in lanes showing a red X after detection by automated cameras.
- Those convictions have produced £48,409 in fines, £33,255 in court costs and £20,183 in victim surcharges, a combined total just over £100,000 so far in 2026.
- Enforcement works on two tracks: many drivers receive £100 fixed-penalty notices issued automatically by cameras, while a smaller number are taken to magistrates’ courts for criminal prosecution.
- Most prosecuted motorists received three penalty points on their licences and some face bans if they already hold points; several defendants told courts they could not safely change lanes when the red X was displayed.
- Red X signs are used to close lanes for crashes, stranded vehicles or roadworkers and can be triggered automatically or by National Highways, and the issue sits against a 2023 government halt to new smart motorway schemes over public confidence and safety concerns.